In anticipation of the live event with New York Times bestselling author of Thirteen Reasons Why on March 3, SLJ caught up with Jay Asher to chat about his work and inspiration for the popular YA novel.

October is National Bullying Prevention Awareness Month, when organizations nationwide unite to raise awareness on how, with education and support, bullying can be obliterated from schools and communities. SLJ has compiled a list of tools for educators and parents, which includes advice on collection development, plus news and feature articles highlighting authors’ efforts against bullying.

Scenario Learning is offering free bullying prevention resources to every school in October and November. Nominations are open for the American Library Association’s Excellence in Library Programming Award until December 1. The Young Adult Library Services Association’s 2014 Young Adult Literature Symposium is now accepting program proposals through November 1. The Coretta Scott King Book Awards Committee is looking for new members to participate in various capacities.

Welcoming Schools—a project of the Human Rights Campaign Foundation that provides tools and lessons to educators to stop bias and bullying in schools—is releasing a new short film and related materials for educators and parents. The film spotlights teachers in the classroom generating open conversations with students about the impact of bullying and the power of students to stop it.

Do you have plans for recognizing Anti-Bullying Month in October? One great way to wrap up the month is to join the national Mix It Up at Lunch campaign. Mix It Up at Lunch Day is set for October 29, but you can plan it for any day, any time of the year.

A Christian group’s protests has spurred some schools to pull their involvement from next week’s Mix it Up at Lunch Day—an 11-year-old program meant to reduce prejudice among students that’s sponsored by the Teaching Tolerance project, part of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC).

Author Lesléa Newman has always felt an obligation to help the world remember Matthew Shepard, a gay student at the University of Wyoming who was brutally beaten and left to die in October 1998. Shepard’s death brought national attention to the issue of homophobic bullying and helped galvanize anti-bullying awareness nationwide. With October Mourning, a novel in verse, Newman explores Shepard’s death in 68 poems. SLJ talked with Newman about how she came to write October Mourning, her use of poetic forms, and the challenges of writing about this painful topic.

Madi W. knows what it’s like to be hounded by death threats, nasty phone calls, and racist jibes. Four years ago, kids from her middle school in suburban Maryland started attacking her by cellphone, text messages, and on social media sites.

Then last fall, the assaults followed her to high school. Someone sent a text calling her the N-word and attached an image of a stick figure getting whipped. Over Thanksgiving break, a bunch of girls left a string […]